Mini-Split Deep Cleaning
Washing the filters isn't cleaning a mini-split. The gunk lives on the blower wheel and the coil behind it. We take your indoor unit apart piece by piece, clean every part, and put it back together.
Where the Gunk Hides
A wall-mounted mini-split packs a coil, a drain pan and a long, cylindrical blower wheel into a box a few inches deep. Air is pulled through the filters, across the cold, wet coil and out through the blower wheel and the louvers.
The filters only catch the big stuff. Fine dust that gets past them lands on the wet coil and the cupped blades of the blower wheel, where it turns into a black, sticky layer. That's where mold and bacteria grow, and why the smell comes right back days after you wash the filters.
Signs Your Mini-Split Needs a Deep Clean
If you see black specks on the louvers, it's already overdue.
How We Clean It, Step by Step
Every brand comes apart a little differently. We follow the maker's design and never force a part we can't put back exactly as it was.
Benefits of a Deep Clean
Removing the growth from the wheel and coil removes the source of the odor, not just the filter dust.
A clean blower wheel moves more air. Clogged blades can't.
A clean coil transfers heat more easily in both summer and winter.
A clean pan and clear drain line stop water from dripping down your wall.
The fan motor and the system don't have to work as hard.
Because we take it apart, we see and clean the parts you never can.
What a Deep Clean Looks Like
The covers come off so we can reach the coil and blower wheel. Then the coil gets a foaming, coil-safe cleaner that soaks into the fins before it's rinsed into a cleaning bib.
Upfront Prices
Priced per indoor unit (head). You get the price before we start.
Mini-split deep clean
Wall-mounted indoor unit, taken apart, blower wheel, coil, drain pan and line cleaned. Ceiling cassettes and hard-to-reach units may cost more.
Multiple units
Most homes have several heads. Tell us how many, and we'll price the whole house.
Mini-Split FAQ
How much does mini-split cleaning cost?
About $250 per wall-mounted indoor unit. Ceiling cassettes or units that are hard to reach may cost more. You get the price before we start.
How often should a mini-split be deep cleaned?
Every 1–2 years for most homes, and every year if you run it heavily, have pets or live somewhere humid. Keep washing the filters every few weeks in between.
Why does my mini-split smell like dirty socks?
Bacteria and mold grow on the coil and blower wheel as they go from wet to dry. The smell is released when the unit starts. A deep clean of the coil and blower wheel removes the source.
Can't I just clean the filters?
Wash them every 2–4 weeks in season, it helps. But the filters don't reach the blower wheel or the inside of the coil, which is where the odor and buildup come from.
Do you have to take the unit off the wall?
No. We take the indoor unit apart on the wall, piece by piece, with a cleaning bib to catch the water.
Do you clean the outdoor unit?
The outdoor unit is usually part of your HVAC contractor's service. We focus on the indoor unit, where the air you breathe passes through.
Sources: NADCA training presentation on mini-split cleaning (Armstrong Duct & Vent) · GREE, "How to deep-clean moldy ductless mini-split units" · HVAC School, cleaning a mini-split blower wheel · Lennox, mini-split smells · Filterbuy, mini-split deep cleaning
Book a Mini-Split Deep Clean
Talk to a real person at our Woodbridge office. Mon–Fri 7am–5pm.